Best dog beaches in Los Angeles, CA

A great dog beach will provide a safe environment for dogs to run, play, swim and interact with other dogs. The beach is kept clean; dog friendly beaches provide supplies for clean up and have food and water readily available. While many dogs prefer off-leash dog beaches, some prefer the safety of the leash. Los Angeles County, CA does not allow dogs (any pets, for that matter) on any county beaches; however, there are plenty of other candidates for the best dog beaches in Los Angeles. Following are some of the top dog beaches in Los Angeles. Ranking from #10 to the #1 dog beach in the area are:

Strand Manhattan Beach: Javier complained in his yelp.com review that even though dogs are not permitted, people bring their dogs and then don’t clean up after them.

Topanga State Beach: “Looks like another dog friendly beach…there were usually 1-2 people out with their dogs.” (Steve per yelp.com review) This beach is not exactly dog-friendly, apparently, but accepting of them. No mention of rules, supplies, etc.

Lake Hollywood Park: “They should really consider making this an official dog park…. I bring my dog here all the time and he has a great time playing with all the other dogs…a lot of friendly dogs and their owners.” (Allyson, yelp.com reviewer) The obvious flaw is that it is not an official dog park…but your dog will enjoy it.

Marina Del Rey: “…Beach park is dog friendly as long as you keep your dog on leash and clean after it… We’ve made many dog friends when we lived there…” (Kelly per Yelp.com review)

Venice Beach Boardwalk: “Very good place to walk your dog, snack on food, and people watch.” (Kevin W. in yelp.com review)

Bruce’s Beach: “It’s pet friendly (on some parts of it) but leashed dogs only since there are no gates or fences surrounding it.” (Lei B., yelp.com review)

Palisades Park: May B., in her yelp.com review, says, “They really keep the park and the bathrooms very clean. Park is dog friendly …” There are many positive reviews mentioning the friendly and adorable pooches.

Redondo Beach Dog Park: “Owners are attentive, pooper scoopers are plentiful, and water bowls and fountains are numerous. There are areas for both small dogs and large dogs.” (many reviewers) The only negative I found about this off-leash dog beach was that it is mostly dirt, rather than grass or sand.

Rosie’s Dog Beach is a city-run dog beach. This is a fantastic place for dogs; there is an area for off-leash running as well as areas where dogs must be kept leashed or in-arms. This provides an outdoor habitat for most any dog. Rosie’s offers many special events for dogs: parades, a beauty pageant, inter-faith Blessing of the Animals services and more.

Huntington Dog Beach: “If you own a dog, hands down the best place to enjoy the outdoors, the cool ocean breeze, the amazing Southern California weather, and awesome, friendly people.” (Jason per yelp.com review) There are even doggy water fountains!